Help for a Couple of Cocktail Novices (Part 1)

[tanstaafl2]

Kerry, next time you make a Pisco Sour strain it into a cocktail or coupe glass. Then put 5 drops of Angostura or whiskey barrel aged bitters on the foam (I use an eyedropper for this task) and drag a knife tip or toothpick through it to make the pretty hearts design on top. Not only looks visually appealling, but the aromatics of the bitters as you lift the glass past your nose are quite mouth watering.

Ah yes - I did forget the angostura this time - the toothpick trick sounds great!

Or if you want to get even more authentically Peruvian with your pisco sours (and in the endless debate about Chilean versus Peruvian pisco I came down on the side of the Peruvian pisco) you can use Chuncho Amargo bitters which at least here in Atlanta are remarkably easily acquired.

I see that Cocktail Kingdom has them listed as available.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry, next time you make a Pisco Sour strain it into a cocktail or coupe glass. Then put 5 drops of Angostura or whiskey barrel aged bitters on the foam (I use an eyedropper for this task) and drag a knife tip or toothpick through it to make the pretty hearts design on top. Not only looks visually appealling, but the aromatics of the bitters as you lift the glass past your nose are quite mouth watering.

Ah yes - I did forget the angostura this time - the toothpick trick sounds great!

Or if you want to get even more authentically Peruvian with your pisco sours (and in the endless debate about Chilean versus Peruvian pisco I came down on the side of the Peruvian pisco) you can use Chuncho Amargo bitters which at least here in Atlanta are remarkably easily acquired.

I see that Cocktail Kingdom has them listed as available.

Oh great - something else hard to get I now need!

[bmdaniel]

Kerry, next time you make a Pisco Sour strain it into a cocktail or coupe glass. Then put 5 drops of Angostura or whiskey barrel aged bitters on the foam (I use an eyedropper for this task) and drag a knife tip or toothpick through it to make the pretty hearts design on top. Not only looks visually appealling, but the aromatics of the bitters as you lift the glass past your nose are quite mouth watering.

I like to spray the bitters on with an atomizer. You can cover up part of the top to make designs, if you like (I usually just cover half with a piece of paper or something, but I'm sure y'all can get more creative).

[Kerry Beal]

Drinking alone tonight. I'm up north working again. I brought up some mojito mint along with some other herbs to use while I'm up here - they seem to be doing OK in their new pot. So I decided a Mojito would be appropriate!

[Anna N]

.....

Drinking alone tonight. I'm up north working again. I brought up some mojito mint along with some other herbs to use while I'm up here - they seem to be doing OK in their new pot. So I decided a Mojito would be appropriate!

......

That view of the marina in Little Current reminds me that I am not there by choice - not sure it was an entirely wise choice! Like Kerry I am drinking alone tonight and chose a Blood and Sand. After tasting it, I re-checked the ingredients feeling I must be missing something - but no. Just isn't balanced to my taste. Used Famous Grouse. Must try it again with a different Scotch.

[tanstaafl2]

.....

Drinking alone tonight. I'm up north working again. I brought up some mojito mint along with some other herbs to use while I'm up here - they seem to be doing OK in their new pot. So I decided a Mojito would be appropriate!

......

That view of the marina in Little Current reminds me that I am not there by choice - not sure it was an entirely wise choice! Like Kerry I am drinking alone tonight and chose a Blood and Sand. After tasting it, I re-checked the ingredients feeling I must be missing something - but no. Just isn't balanced to my taste. Used Famous Grouse. Must try it again with a different Scotch.

I find I like it as well or better with a nice mezcal instead of scotch. Typically Sombra is my go to mezal for mixing.

[KatieLoeb]

I find I like it as well or better with a nice mezcal instead of scotch. Typically Sombra is my go to mezal for mixing.

Sangre y Arena??

[Anna N]

.......

I find I like it as well or better with a nice mezcal instead of scotch. Typically Sombra is my go to mezal for mixing.

No mezcal in my bar at the moment and a quick look at the LCBO site shows only 4 available and none are Sombra. But thanks for the suggestion.

[Anna N]

I find I like it as well or better with a nice mezcal instead of scotch. Typically Sombra is my go to mezal for mixing.

Sangre y Arena??

Yes, that's a different drink but looks very interesting. If I manage to pick up some mezcal I will certainly give it a try. Thank you.

[Kerry Beal]

An Aviation - I had the idea that the maraschino was the part of this drink I didn't like - so I subbed some kirsch. Interestingly it really didn't taste any different! I think I just don't care for this combination. The good news is that I can get back to finding other uses for the maraschino now that I know it's not the culprit.

[EvergreenDan]

Kerry -- that doesn't look very blue-tinged. No Creme de Violette? I think that adds quite a lot in very small amounts. Kirsch would not have any sugar to stand up to the lemon. It must have been quiet tart.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry -- that doesn't look very blue-tinged. No Creme de Violette? I think that adds quite a lot in very small amounts. Kirsch would not have any sugar to stand up to the lemon. It must have been quiet tart.

It's in there actually - I think it's a trick of the light that you can't see the blue-tinge. I don't find maraschino any sweeter than kirch - I actually added some simple to make the drink palatable (ie I didn't bin it) but still didn't find it to my taste. I would be curious to see if it were made with G'Vine or Tanquarey 10 or Old Tom (if I had any) would make it more to my taste.

[EvergreenDan]

I don't find maraschino any sweeter than kirch

That's odd. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur is quite sweet. Kirsch is an eau-de-vie, the pure distillate of fermented crushed cherries and pits -- completely unsweetened.

[Anna N]

Tonight a Sister Mary - Tequila, St. Germain, Aperol and grapefruit juice. Very pleasant. Will add to my repertoire.

[Kerry Beal]

Drinking, while talking to Anna via skype isn't really drinking alone, is it?

Flor de Jerez. Didn't have amontillado sherry - but research led me to believe it's about half way between fino and oloroso - both of which I did have - so a 50/50 mix of those, Appleton Estate, lemon, cane syrup (actually rock sugar syrup), Apry and angostura bitters.

Picked up these two bottle in the LCBO in Sudbury yesterday - the strawberry liqueur is for liqueur centers - the gin to experiment with. Suggestions please?

[mkayahara]

With that Genever, you could do worse than a Devil's Playground.

[FrogPrincesse]

Picked up these two bottle in the LCBO in Sudbury yesterday - the strawberry liqueur is for liqueur centers - the gin to experiment with. Suggestions please?

The Devil's Playground looks great. I need to pick up a bottle of Cassis....

There are lots of other options for you in the Genever thread.

Recently, I've really liked the intensity of the Ice Pick (genever, maraschino liqueur, violette liqueur, orange bitters, lemon twist) and the Holland Razor Blade (genever, lemon, simple, cayenne pepper). It's also great in a John Collins.

[Kerry Beal]

Picked up these two bottle in the LCBO in Sudbury yesterday - the strawberry liqueur is for liqueur centers - the gin to experiment with. Suggestions please?

The Devil's Playground looks great. I need to pick up a bottle of Cassis....

There are lots of other options for you in the Genever thread.

Recently, I've really liked the intensity of the Ice Pick (genever, maraschino liqueur, violette liqueur, orange bitters, lemon twist) and the Holland Razor Blade (genever, lemon, simple, cayenne pepper). It's also great in a John Collins.

Me too on the Cassis - just offloaded my bottle. Suppose I could try a Ribena float!

The Genever thread was the one I was trying to find - spelled it wrong.

[Tri2Cook]

I've been meaning to try the New Amsterdam Sour one of these days. Genever, lemon juice and simple syrup on crushed ice with a red wine float. I'll get to it eventually.

[Kerry Beal]

I've got the fixings for that (except the wine - but that should be easy). Looks interesting.

[Kerry Beal]

New Amsterdam Sour it is! Did you know that a straw in a short glass kind of acts like a siphon?

[Tri2Cook]

Nope, didn't know that. So was it tasty?

[Kerry Beal]

Nope, didn't know that. So was it tasty?

Yup - enjoyed it.

[KatieLoeb]

That looks interesting. Might have to give that one a go. I have all the fixins too.

[rod rock]

Boom! This new Amsterdam Sour kicks me directly in the head! It seems interesting though.